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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Arlington Independent School District is |
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celebrating the dedication of Diane Patrick Elementary School in |
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the fall of 2015; and |
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WHEREAS, Transforming the nature of instruction, this |
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18-acre campus offers students outdoor and collaborative learning |
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spaces, a 21st-century media center, a broadcasting studio, and the |
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first two STEM labs in an Arlington ISD elementary school; and |
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WHEREAS, The opening ceremony provides an ideal opportunity |
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to recognize the school's namesake, educator and former state |
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representative Dr. Diane Patrick; a veteran teacher, Dr. Patrick |
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currently serves on the faculty of the Department of Educational |
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Leadership and Policy Studies at The University of Texas at |
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Arlington; she also teaches at Dallas Baptist University, and she |
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has taught at Texas Christian University as well; and |
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WHEREAS, Early in her career, Dr. Patrick served as an |
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elementary teacher in the Waco, Richardson, and Birdville |
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Independent School Districts; she subsequently became director of |
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educational programs at two psychiatric hospitals; she holds a |
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bachelor's degree in education from Baylor University and both a |
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master's degree in elementary education and a doctoral degree in |
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educational administration from the University of North Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Patrick has worked tirelessly in behalf of the |
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state's students in numerous capacities; following an 11-year |
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tenure on the Arlington ISD Board of Trustees, during which time she |
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served four years as president, she won election to the Texas State |
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Board of Education in 1992; she currently serves as a director of |
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the Arlington ISD Education Foundation and the Texas Education |
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Reform Foundation, and she has given generously of her expertise to |
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the Texas Center for Educational Research Advisory Board and the |
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Consortium of State Organizations of Texas Teacher Educators; and |
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WHEREAS, First elected to the Texas House in 2006, |
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Dr. Patrick greatly benefited public education through her |
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accomplishments over the course of four terms in the legislature; |
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she served as vice chair of the Higher Education Committee, where |
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she was a champion for UT--Arlington, and she authored numerous |
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pieces of significant legislation, including the state's first |
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comprehensive anti-bullying bill and bills providing for |
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developmental education reform, increased transparency in higher |
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education, and improved educator preparation; she was regarded by |
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fellow legislators as one of the foremost experts on public and |
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higher education in Texas government; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Patrick has also committed her time and talents |
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to advancing a host of worthy causes and organizations within her |
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community; she is a Junior League Sustainer and a member of the |
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Downtown Rotary Club, and she has served as county co-chair of the |
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March of Dimes and as a member of the Children's Advocacy Network |
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board, the Downtown Arlington Rotary Club, the Junior League of |
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Arlington, and the Arlington Republican Club; and |
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WHEREAS, Named to the Legislative Honor Roll by the Texas |
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Parent Teacher Association, Dr. Patrick is the recipient of myriad |
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other accolades, among them the Lone Star Conservative Leader Award |
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from the Texas Conservative Roundtable, the Excellence in Public |
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Service Award from the Texas Hospital Association, and the Patient |
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Advocacy Award from the Texas Dental Association; and |
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WHEREAS, In all her endeavors, Diane Patrick is supported by |
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the love and encouragement of her husband, Dr. Ned Patrick; she is |
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the proud mother of two Arlington ISD graduates, and she recently |
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celebrated the arrival of her seventh grandchild; and |
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WHEREAS, Diane Patrick has advanced the quality of education |
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in Arlington and the Lone Star State through her ceaseless |
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endeavors as an educator and public servant, and the naming of a |
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school in her honor is truly a fitting tribute; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize Dr. Diane Patrick on the occasion of |
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the dedication of Diane Patrick Elementary School and extend to her |
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sincere best wishes for continued success in her important work; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Dr. Patrick as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |